William Cheney

Other Events and Attributes:

• Moved To: 1662, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his father's will.
• History: 1676; He first lived in Medfield, Mass. then removed to Dorchester, Mass. in 1676 It appears that William had both a wife and a mistress. He had obviously left his wife and was living with Sarah Daniels for a time. In his father's will of 1677 appear the following words: "I bequeath unto my sonn William Cheiney all that lying & being in medfield, latly in the possession of my said son upon this condition or proviso that hee & his wife Deborah bee Reconsiled & live together in Meadfeild or Elsewhere, to the sattisfaction of John Wisewell of Boston & Deacon Williams of Roxbury." By 1670, they were together again if the births of children are an indicator. In his will, he mentions his wife and brother Joseph. He also gives Lydia Winsor ten shillings "for going of errands for me in my late imprisonment."
• Will: 15 May 1686, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his mother's will.

Notes:

Died:
He died by being hung. He was found guilty of rape of a young servant girl living under his roof, however his wife, Deborah, called the victim, Experience Holbrook, the daughter of Capt. Joseph and Elizabeth Holbrook, a "lying wench."

William married Deborah Wiswel in say 1657 in Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Deborah was christened on 30 May 1641 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; died on 26 Feb 1717/18 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Sarah Daniels in N (They were not married). Sarah (daughter of Robert Daniels and Elizabeth Morse) was born in 1638 in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
The page registering her birth was torn. She was born on the 24th, but the month is unknown.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Land/House: say 1690; Benjamin had a share in the town of Ashburnham in the right of a younger brother who died in the campaign of 1690, but he never occupied it.
• Married: 22 Feb 1699, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; Martha Royal, the daughter of William and Mary Royal. She was born on 6 September 1679 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. On 17 January 1758, Martha, then a widow, sold the family homestead to her son, Jacob. She died on Friday 21 August 1767 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Mas, at age 87 years, 11 months and 15 days. Issue: 1. John Cheney (1700-____) 2. Benjamin Cheney (1703-____) 3. Deborah Cheney (1704-____) 4. Benjamin Cheney (1706-____) 5. Jacob Cheney (1709-____) 6. Mary Cheney (1712-____) 7. Samuel Cheney (1716-____) 8. Jacob Cheney (1719-____)
• Occupation: say 1700; He was a cordwainer.

Notes:

Buried:
Here Lyes
y^e Body of
Benjamin Cheney
who died
Decr y^e
17th 1737
in y^e 61^st year of his age

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: 1695; Both William and Margaret were members of the church in Mendon. He was taxed to support the minister in Mendon, October 1695.
• Land/House: 1705; William received grants of land in 1705/06 and 1706.
• History: 25 Nov 1741; He signed a petition of the residents that lived east of the Mill River, to form a new town, which in 1780 was incorporated as Milford.
• History: 1750; Pope (1897) says of him, "He was a man of excellent character and much esteemed by all who knew him. In 1750 a member of the Milford church was disciplined for intoxication and for 'casting vile reflections' at Mr. Cheney; and the pastor took occasion to record his opinion of Mr. Cheney as an "honourable and aged' man."

William married Margaret in say 1694 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Margaret died on 1 Apr 1740 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1715; _____ White.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 28 Apr 1720, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; John White, the son of Thomas and Mehitable White. He was born on 12 March 1698 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: say 1724; He was a joiner and farmer.
• Religion: 1741; He was dismissed from the church in Mendon to help form the church in Milford in 1741.
• History: 25 Nov 1741; He signed a petition of the residents that lived east of the Mill River, to form a new town, which in 1780 was incorporated as Milford.
• Offices Held: 1742 to 1747; He was the clerk of the precinct of Milford from its inception until 1747.
• Religion: say 1742; According to Ballou (1882) , he and his wife "were original members of the Cong. ch.; though the fr[William] fell under serious censure toward the end of his days, on account of intemperate habits. He was a man of ability, a good penman for those times."

William married Joanna Thayer on 20 May 1726 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Joanna (daughter of Nathaniel Thayer and Sarah Wales) was born on 18 Aug 1706 in Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1726; Hannah Bigelow, the daughter of Joshua and Hannah (Fisk) Bigelow. She was born on 6 March 1703/4 in Weston, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was admitted to the church in 1725 in Weston, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. After Ebenezer's death, in 1742 Hannah, married Ichabod Thayer, son of Isaac Thayer and Mary _____. She died in March 1791 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. John Cheney (1737-____) 2. Silence Cheney (1740-____)
• Inventory: 21 Jul 1740, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; His estate was valued at £400.
• History: 1897; Pope (1897) says of him, "[He was] energetic, capable and prosperous."

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: 1744, Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts; She was received into communion in the Church of Milford.
• Married: 13 Mar 1754, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Benjamin Atwood. He was born on 21 February 1731 in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The Rev. A. Frost performed their wedding. He died between 1758 and 1766 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Anna Atwood (1754-____) 2. Ebenezer Atwood (1756-1818) 3. Silence Atwood (1758-____)
• Married: 28 Dec 1768, Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts; David Cutter.

Notes:

Birth:
The published vital records (1920) give the date as 16 November 1728.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 10 Nov 1756, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Sarah Whitney, the daughter of Jonathan and Lydia (Jones) Whitney. She was born on 14 March 1735/36 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Pope (1897) gives her birth as in the year 1730. She died on Wednesday 6 November 1822 or she died on 9 November 1829 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Josiah Cheney (1757-____) 2. Nathaniel Cheney (1758-____) 3. Susanna Cheney (1760-1848) 4. David Cheney (1763-1834) 5. Nathan Cheney (1765-1844) 6. Lydia Cheney (1767-1865) 7. Asa Cheney (1769-1830) 8. Amos Cheney (1773-____) 9. Anna Cheney (1777-____) 10. Alexander Cheney (1780-1843)
• History: 1882; According to Ballou (1882) he was "uniformly represented to have been a laborious, frugal, temperate, and most punctiliously upright man; sometimes stern and blunt-spoken, but a kind-hearted and accommodating neighbor."

Notes:

Died:
He never married.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 22 Sep 1757, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Lt. Jesse Whitney, the son of Jonathan and Lydia (Jones) Whithney, He was born on 24 November 1730 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He was a lieutenant in the Revolutionary Army. After Mary's death, on 19 April 1779 Jesse, at age 48, married Ruth Legg, in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He and Abigail Rawson filed marriage intentions on 5 July 1794 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He left a will on 17 April 1810 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He died on Wednesday 26 April 1815 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. His estate was probated on 23 May 1815 in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Olive Whitney (1758-____) 2. Susanna Whitney (1759-1760) 3. Rhoda Whitney (1760-____) 4. Hachaliah Whitney (1762-1848) 5. Levi Whitney (1763-1788) 6. Lucy Whitney (1764-____) 7. Ruth Whitney (1764-1765) 8. Asa Whitney (1766-1768) 9. Anna Whitney (1770-____)

Notes:

Died:
Pierce (1895) gives her death date as 25 June 1777.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military: say 1756; Caleb is thought to have served in the French and Indian War.
• Married: 9 Mar 1758, Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Mary Wheelock, the daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Ammidown) Wheelock. She was born on 31 December 1738 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. She died on Thursday 3 March 1814 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Tryphena Cheney (1758-____) 2. Artemas Cheney (1760-1804) 3. Mary Cheney (1762-____) 4. Relief Cheney (1764-____) 5. Calvin Cheney (1766-____) 6. Elizabeth Cheney (1768-1810) 7. Caleb Cheney (1770-1830) 8. Olive Cheney (1772-1826) 9. Rachel Cheney (1774-____) 10. Charles Cheney (____-1804) 11. Hannah Cheney (1778-____) 12. Sarah Cheney (1780-____)
• Offices Held: say 1760; Caleb was a highly respected man. He was the first town clerk of Milford after its incorporation and served on its first board of selectman.
• Military: 1775; He was a lieutenant in charge of the Second Mendon Minute Company under Capt. William Jennison. On 19 July 1776, he was in Capt. Gershom Nelson's company. In the alarm of 8 December 1776, he marched as a sergeant in Lt. Seth Thayer's company to Providence, R.I.

Notes:

Name:


Married:
The marriage is listed in both the Milford and the Mendon vital records.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 18 Mar 1760, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Abigail Thompson. She was born in 1736. She died on Tuesday 16 January 1776 in Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts. Abigail's gravestone inscription in North Orange Cemetery, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, reads: Abigail Thompson 1736-1776 wife of Ebenezer Cheney Issue: 1. Elijah Cheney (1760-1760) 2. Ebenezer Cheney (1761-____) 3. Elijah Cheney (1764-____) 4. Abner Cheney (1765-1797) 5. Simon Cheney (1767-____) 6. Joanna Cheney (1768-1862) 7. Sarah Cheney (1770-1779) 8. infant Cheney 9. infant Cheney 10. Abigail Cheney 11. Daniel Cheney (1774-____)
• Military: 27 Apr 1760; Ebenezer served in the French and Indian War, enlisting from Mendon, 27 April 1760 in Capt. William Jones' Company. He was discharged 26 November 1760 after 30 weeks of service. During this time he was promoted to Sergeant.
• Religion: 30 Aug 1767, Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Ebenezer Cheney was received into full communion in the Milford Church.
• Married: 1776; Hannah Gould. She was born about 1758. She and Ebenezer Cheney filed marriage intentions on 18 October 1776. She died on Friday 10 October 1828 in Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts. Hannah's gravestone inscription in North Orange Cemetery, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, reads: Mrs. Hannah wife of Mr. Ebenezer Cheney d. Oct. 10, 1828 æ. 70 Issue: 1. Hannah Cheney (1777-1861) 2. Sarah Cheney (1780-____) 3. John Cheney (1781-____) 4. Buelah Cheney (1785-1836) 5. Susannah Cheney (1786-1870) 6. Mark Cheney (1788-____) 7. Luke Cheney (1790-____) 8. Lydia Cheney (1793-____) 9. Matthew Cheney (1795-____) 10. Silence Cheney (1800-____) 11. Mary Cheney (1803-1863)

Notes:

Name:


Married:
Ballou (1882) gives their marriage place as Milford, Massachusetts.

Buried:
Mr. Ebenezer Cheney
d. Nov. 14, 1828
æ. 22 yr

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 9 Dec 1762, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; John Jones, the son of Deacon Abraham and Keziah (Whitney) Jones. He was born on 23 March and he was christened on 25 March 1744 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Asa Jones (1763-____) 2. Keziah Jones (1765-____) 3. Abigail Jones (1767-____) 4. Sarah Jones (1768-____) 5. John Jones (1770-____) 6. Abraham Jones (1772-____) 7. Levi Jones (1774-____) 8. Ebenezer Jones (1775-____) 9. David Jones (1778-____)
• Moved To: Abt 1791, Wardsboro, Windham County. Vermont

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 6 Dec 1770, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; Hannah Bowker, the daughter of Micah Bowker. She was born in Hopkinton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She died on Friday 21 September 1827 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Silas Cheney (1771-____) 2. Comfort Cheney (1774-____) 3. Chloe Cheney (1776-____) 4. Jesse Cheney (1778-____) 5. William Cheney (1780-____) 6. Clarissa Cheney (1782-____) 7. John Cheney (1784-1872) 8. Cyrene Cheney (1787-____)
• Military: 1775; He served for 12 days starting 19 April 1775 as a private in the 2ed Company of Mendon in Cambridge and Roxbury. On 8 May 1775, he was a corporal with Capt. Samuel Warren's Company of Read's 20th Regiment. Then he was Sargeant-Major of Col. Patterson's Regiment, of the 15th Continental Infantry on 1 January 1776. On 7 October 1776, he was stationed at Fort Ticonderoga where he was reportedly promoted to Ensign. He was a Second Lieutenant of Tisdale's Company, of Greaton's Regiment of the 3rd Massachusetts Infantry on 1 January 1777. He was appointed Regimental Adjutant 11 November 1777. He resigned his commission 28 August 1780, though he was carried on the roll until 6 October 1780. For his service, he received a pension of $37.95 per year from 14 April 1818 until his death.
• History: 1862; According to Ballou (1882), he "had his good qualities, but did not rank so high in the moral scale."

Notes:

Name:


Married:
Ballou (1882) gives their marriage place as Milford, Massachusetts.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Land/House: 1777, North Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; In 1777, he purchased 800 acres of land in what was to be the northern part of Orange, Massachusetts.
• Military: 1777; Levi served in the 4th Regiment of Militia during the Revolutionary War in 1777.
• Offices Held: From 1788 to 1800, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; From 1788 to 1800 he was a Selectman of the District of Orange.
• Offices Held: 26 Dec 1788, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; On 26 December 1788, Livi Cheney and Joseph Metcalf, represented the District of Orange in the first perambulation of the town line of Orange and Warwick.
• Census: 1790, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; In the 1790 US Census he was recorded living in Orange, Massachusetts: 2 - Free White Persons - Males - Under 16 2 - Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over 3 - Free White Persons - Females 7 - Number of Household Members
• Census: 1800, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; In the 1800 US Census he was recorded living in Orange, Massachusetts: 1 - Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over 1 - Free White Persons - Females - Under 10 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over 1 - Number of Household Members Under 16 3 - Number of Household Members Over 25 4 - Number of Household Members
• Census: 1810, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; In the 1810 US Census he was recorded living in Orange, Massachusetts: 2 - Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15 1 - Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25 1 - Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over 1 - Number of All Other Free Persons 3 - Number of Household Members Under 16 2 - Number of Household Members Over 25 8 - Number of Household Members
• Offices Held: 1816, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; In 1816 he became the Town Clerk of the Town of Orange.
• Census: 1820, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; In the 1820 US Census he was recorded living in Orange, Massachusetts: 3 - Free White Persons - Males - Under 10 3 - Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 2 - Free White Persons - Females - Under 10 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44 3 - Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture 5 - Free White Persons - Under 16 4 - Free White Persons - Over 25 9 - Total Free White Persons 9 - Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other
• Census: 1830, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; In the 1830 US Census he was recorded living in Orange, Massachusetts: 1 - Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9 1 - Free White Persons - Males - 70 thru 79 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9 1 - Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49 1 - Free White Persons - Under 20 1 - Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 1 - Total Free White Persons 1 - Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)
• Last Full Review: 11 Dec 2020

Notes:

Birth: Ballou (1882) give his birth as in 1850.

Death: Ballou (1882) gives his death as 1846. Pope (1897) gives his death as 11 April 1847.

Name:

Levi married Mary "Molly"Hill after 4 Jun 1772 in Warwick, Franklin County, Massachusetts. Mary (daughter of John Hill and Thankful Underwood) was christened on 18 Jan 1756 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts; died on 12 May 1819 in Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Levi married Sarah Ballou on 20 Jan 1820 in Warwick, Franklin County, Massachusetts. Sarah was born about 1780 in Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire; died on 19 Jul 1862 in Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts; was buried in North Orange Cemetery, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]